Don’t Let Discouragement Choke You

Discouragement is a temptation, common to man. In dealing with it sometimes we need tenderness and other times we need toughness. Either way, discouragement is not to be tolerated or allowed in. It is to be fought.

If we linger in discouragement it can be costly. It’s a sense of defeat and hopelessness that saps us with energy and vision. It can consume a lot of time. It can keep us from doing what we need to do because we don’t want to face it. And it can be contagious, weakening others’ faith.

When we feel discouraged we want comfort, which is right to feel. But comfort often turns to our ways to avoid our fears rather than ways to muster our courage to face and overcome them. When this happens discouragement simply becomes sinful indulgence in lust or anger or other sins of unbelief,

Jesus does not want us to be discouraged. In fact. He commands us not to be. Listen to what Jesus says to His disciples just before what was probably that most discouraging experience of their lives -His brutal death. “Let not your heart be troubled. Believe in God. Believe also in me” (John 14:1).

Jesus’s words “Let not” for His disciples were not merely comforting, they are commands. He knew they would be tempted by fear. Things were going to look very bad like their whole mission was imploding. What were they to do instead of being afraid? Believe! “Believe in God; believe also in me.”

In other words, “Don’t let your hearts be ruled by what you see. Let them be ruled by what I promise you.” And that’s what He’s saying to you and me,

“We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, for those who are called according to His purpose” -Romans 8:28

Then it time to fight, not pout or shrink. Think of discouragement as your faith being choked. When you’re choking, it’s not time to plop down in front of the Television with a plate of comfort food to medicate your melancholy. You need to dislodge the obstruction so you can breathe. You need to fight for your life. You may need to get someone to give you the Heimlich.

Go get encouragement -faith-fueled courage. Don’t let discouragement choke you, it’s dislodged by believing promises. God gave us the Bible so that “through the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope” (Romans 15:4).

Don’t let your heart be ruled by what you see. Let it be ruled by what Jesus promises you.